Not A Monster
by MirajaneAlberona
Summary: ...He was just Freed. Freed of Fairy Tail. A look at Freed's past, and how he he came to join Fairy Tail. (A one-shot prequel to a fic I'm currently working on.)


Freed was a small baby, the third son of Yoshio and Rita Justine and twin brother to a sister named Freya. He came into the world quietly, his wide eyes taking in all that was around him before he let out a little cry, nothing alarming or needy about it. It was more of an _I'm here, and I'm ready to learn_ sort of sound.

And learn he did. The boy took to things much easier than his twin sister, whose development was slowed. He was walking before she could crawl, had spoken before she even really babbled. By the time he was three he could hold a complete and fairly logical conversation, while his sister was still on two word phrases and pointing to get her points across.

To say Freed cared greatly about his twin would be an understatement He lived to make her smile, to hear her laugh and see her face light up in excitement. He knew she didn't understand as much as he did, so he took to keeping her close, to trying to teach and show her all that he understood. Their older brothers would watch with smiles when Freed would put on his little clip-on tie and begin his 'lessons' for Freya. While Freed read and learned all he could, his intelligence rivaling his eldest brother as the years went on, he was always simplifying the things he took in so his sister could understand. The two of them would do things she loved as well, playing dress-up and doing each other hair because all Freed wanted was for her to smile.

Freed also learned quite quickly that his family had much more wealth than other families, and as such he was expected to know how to act, how to greet others and how to show respect. His father called him a mini gentleman, as Freed took to this quickly as he did all things. His mother took a picture of all her boys dressed in their little suits and her daughter in her gown from the first party the two youngest attended. Freed had loved it, the glitz and glamor and dancing. He especially loved the dancing. Freya, however, did not like the bright lights and noise of the ballroom, and fled her brother's side to clutch Rita's skirts. It was the first time Freed remembered the two of them being separated, and it was with a bit of sadness that he realized he had barely noticed then, so caught up in the splendor that was this event.

It was a happy life, until Freed turned six. Tragedy struck then, a fire wiping out both his parents. As his eldest brother, Haru, was only 12, the siblings were sent to live with their uncle. He was a secluded man, one who felt he had little time to deal with the children. He let them have free roam of his home, but said little more than three words to them the few months they were with him. He shipped them off to their grandmother's next, a harsh old woman who did not appreciate her youngest grandson dressing up with his twin. There were things for boys and things for girls and those should not mix, she thought. She would drag Freya off with her each morning, trying to turn the girl into a proper lady, while the brothers were trained in swordplay and fencing as well as business. Freed took to these just as easily as he had everything else, though he took to them with a passion his teachers did not expect. If his grandmother thought he would not excel at these simply because he had spent too much time enjoying 'feminine' activities, he would prove her wrong.

At night, Freya would show him the stitches she had done and try to teach him about the cooking practices their grandmother had shown her, while he would tell her about the information he had learned about running a business. He would not teach her about fencing or swordplay, knowing well enough his sister would not understand that it was just practice and not an actual fight. He did not want to see her get hurt.

It was for that reason, not wanting his sister to get hurt, that he started to study ruin/letter magic. He knew it could create protective barriers, and it could contain magical attacks as well. He wanted to learn it all to protect Freya from the dangers of the world. How little he knew he'd use a spell he swore he wouldn't use to keep her safe…

His interest in magic taught him many things that his grandmother would have scolded him for if she had known. Nobility did not concern themselves with magic, much less demons. Silver gate keys, perhaps, for companions or minor protection, but nothing like what he was looking into. Writing ruins into one's own body, spells as dark as shadows… it both intrigued yet frightened him.

They were a little over eight when it happened. Haru and Hikaru were off at the bank with their grandmother, leaving Freed and Freya as the only two home. The servants that usually fluttered about were absent, an odd silence filling the home. That is, until, the walls shook and the door was kicked in, treasure hunters come to rob them of all they held dear. They had paid off the servants well, and had not known that two of the children were remaining at home.

There could be no witnesses to this act, after all…

They went after Freya first, as the girl was in the kitchen, baking cookies for her and Freed to snack on as they studied. Her screams drew her brother, who grew outraged when he saw the man laying hands on her. He drew his blade and manage to reach Freya's side. She was already injured when he got there, but the man intended to do much more to her. The man ordered his companions to hold Freed back as their boss bloodied her before his eyes.

She had stopped moving, and Freed's rage grew. If they had killed her…

Without much thought, he went for the most powerful spell her had read, one that he knew could change a person's soul. But still, he had to do it, had to save his sister. "Dark Écriture: Darkness."

His body groaned and ached with the pain of the transformation, much too young to have called upon such a powerful transformation. Still, he could feel the power surging through his veins. The men had not expected a wizard…

Freed took them all out easily, though before he could transform back his brothers and grandmother arrived home. They found "a monster" sobbing over the body of Freya and ran him from the house even after he had told them it was him, Freed.

He would never forget the look in the eyes of his family as his grandmother spat those harsh words at him. "I have no monsters for grandsons. My youngest grandson died along with his sister."

He wandered for days, stuck in the transformation. He didn't know how to call it off yet, but he knew it had not taken over him. People fled as they saw him, their words echoing similar to his grandmother's.

"Monster."

"Creature."

"Freak."

"Demon."

The young boy felt the words weigh down on him. He began not eating and only sipping water when his throat felt raw. He was a monster… a monster with no family. He had learned magic to protect his sister and family, and it had left him alone. He made it to a town rather far from his grandmother, where he hid himself away in an alley, resigned to his fate as a monster though he had long changed back due to his exhaustion.

"Hey, kid, you alright?" a voice woke him weeks after he left his grandmother's estate. "Can you stand?"

Freed would never forget the moment he locked eyes with the boy, even though he was sick with dehydration and who knows what else. There he was, offering Freed his hand to help him up. His eyes were a greyish blue, with orange around the pupil. His hair, golden, and face stretched with a smile.

"Don't- Don't touch me." Freed shied away from his hand. "I'm a monster…"

The boy had raised a brow, the smile dropping off his face as he took a look at Freed. "You don't look like a monster to me."

"I couldn't save her…" Freed rambled, and the other boy placed a hand on his forehead.

"You're burning up. You have to come with me to see a doctor. Then we can get you back to your fami-"

"No!" Freed shouted, shaking. "I'm a monster, they don't want me. A monster. A-"

His eyes went dark, and the next thing he remembered was waking up in a soft bed with the boy from earlier sitting beside him.

"Wh-Where am I?" He asked the boy asked calmly, though a bit groggily. His fever had broken, and in his mind he could hear the lessons his father and mother gave him on courtesy ringing in his mind. He would remember to act how they would have wanted… how Freya thought he was…

The boy placed a hand on his shoulder as he tried to sit up and gently guided him back down. "You're in Fairy Tail's infirmary. Don't worry, you're safe here. My name is Laxus Dreyar, and my grandfather Makarov is the guildmaster. What's your name?"

"Freed. Freed Justine." He managed to give the boy a smile, though he knew once he found out about what he was, the boy would no longer want to be his friend.

"Freed…" Laxus gave him a soft smile. "That's a cool name. Hey, Freed, if I go get my grandfather, will you answer a few of his questions?"

Freed nodded. It would only be polite after they had taken him in, and while his grandmother may have said he was a monster, he would not dishonor his parent's name. He would be a polite guest, and when they made him leave he would go with grace. "Of course I will."

Laxus left and got his grandfather, the two sitting down beside Freed.

"Hello, my boy." The old man smiled at him. "My name is Makarov, and I'm the guildmaster at here at Fairy Tail."

"I already told him that, Gramps." Laxus gave his grandfather a smirk and Makarov ruffled his hair.

"Can't even wait to let me introduce myself, can you? Anyways, I'm glad to see that you're up. You had us all quite worried for this past week."

A week? He had been out for a week? "I apologize if I was any trouble, sir. I don't want to be a burden…"

"Oh nonsense! It was no trouble at all. We're always glad to help those in need." Makarov clasped him on the shoulder as Laxus had done earlier. "So, Laxus tells me your name is Freed Justine."

Freed nodded, and Makarov continued. "I just have a few questions for you. If you'd feel more comfortable just telling me, Laxus can leave the room if you wish."

Freed found himself answering quickly as he looked at the other boy. "No, he can stay. That is, of course, if he wants to."

"I'll be right here." Laxus replied.

Makarov sent his grandson a grateful look, then returned his gaze to Freed. "How old are you, Freed?"

"I'm eight, sir." He replied.

Laxus grinned. "I told Gramps I was older than you but he didn't believe me. I'm eleven now, but I'll be twelve in two months."

Freed smiled back at him, though turned his attention to Makarov for the next question.

"Do you have any family we should contact."

Freed's eyes flashed with sadness and something like fear. "None that would have me, I'm afraid."

Laxus placed a hand on the younger boy's arm and gave a gentle squeeze to comfort him. Makarov didn't let it show, but was upset at the boy's words. Who would dare let a child so young on their own?

"Your last name… Are you related to Ethel Justine by any chance." Makarov asked on a chance, having met the woman once before at a social event.

Freed started to nod, then stopped. "No. She has no monsters for grandsons, and I am a monster. Her youngest grandson died… died along with his twin sister." Freed repeated her words to him, and tears began to fill his eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Freed." Makarov gave Freed's hand a squeeze. Freed had murmured a name, Freya, over and over as the fever held him. No doubt now that was his sister…

"What happened, if I can ask." Makarov spoke quietly.

"Our home was robbed… the men made me watch as they- and I- grandmother chased me out…"

"Gramps, we can't… we have to do something!" Laxus said. If the boy had been chased out of his home for trying to protect his sister, then there was something seriously wrong in that old woman's head.

"No!" Freed answered hastily, wiping his tears. "No. She's right… I'm a monster…"

Makarov quirked his brow. "Why do you say that, boy?"

"I… I used magic to fight them off. I transformed and I… She found me like that, sobbing over Freya…" Freed was white as a sheet, the memories still so fresh in his mind.

"What takeover did you use, child?"

Freed looked away and answered. "Dark Écriture: Darkness."

"You managed that at eight years old?" Makarov asked. "And you retained yourself?"

Freed nodded. "I wanted to study letter magic to protect Frey-… to protect those I cared about so I would practice when they all went to bed but I had never… I was a monster. I remember how I hurt those men…"

Makarov shook his head. "You are no monster, Freed Justine. You used a takeover magic and acted out against those harming your family. We know quite a few takeover wizards who can tell you that retaining your consciousness in a transformation as strong as that is a difficult feat, and that you did it at eight makes you quite gifted. But, my boy, that magic you used was dangerous, nay forbidden, and I would not recommend using it again unless your life truly depended on it."

"Yes, sir. Of course." Freed looked at the man hopefully then. "So I'm not a monster?"

"I told you that when I met you, Freed." Laxus cut in. "You're not a monster at all." He then looked to his grandpa. "He can stay, right? He's a wizard after all."

Makarov turned to Freed and gave him a gentle smile. "Fairy Tail would be more than willing to have you, if you'd like to join us."

"I… Yes, that sounds wonderful. Thank you." Freed smiled softly, the tears in his eyes those of happiness. He wasn't a monster… he was just Freed. Freed of Fairy Tail.

* * *

AN: This is just a little backstory to a fic I will be posting soon revolving around Freed and his past, where I will go into more detail about his family members. I hope you enjoyed it!

Name meanings (since they play a bit of a role in the fic that is to follow):

Freya- Lady  
Ethel- Noble  
Rita- Pearl  
Yoshio- Righteous Man  
Haru- Light/Sun  
Hikaru- Brightness


End file.
